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Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Klaus Mäkelä & Yunchan Lim
Dec 18-20, 2025
Overview
Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä leads Beethoven’s buoyant Seventh Symphony — always a thrill to hear live — alongside two contemporary works inspired by Beethoven. Yunchan Lim, the youngest-ever winner of the Van Cliburn Competition, presents the enchanting, heartfelt Piano Concerto of Robert Schumann — a composer with the soul of a poet.
Program
Chin
subito con forza
Schumann
Piano Concerto
Chopin
Waltz No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 34 No. 2 [Dec. 18&20 Encore]
Korngold
“Die schönste Nacht” from Die Stumme Serenade [Dec. 19 Encore]
Widmann
Con brio
Beethoven
Symphony No. 7
Performers
Extras
Enhance your concert experience.
Preconcert Dining
Explore Symphony Center’s on-site dining options for a seamless preconcert experience. Preorder a Sound Bites meal to enjoy in the Rotunda before the concert — or make a reservation to dine at the Thomas Club, offering a prix fixe menu featuring traditional American fare and a spectacular view of Lake Michigan. View menus and learn more »
Preconcert Conversation
Explore the music in a free preconcert conversation featuring Daniel Schlosberg in Orchestra Hall 75 minutes before the performance. The talk will last approximately 30 minutes. No additional tickets are needed.
Sponsors & Partners
Maestro Residency Presenter
These concerts are generously sponsored by Zell Family Foundation.
Discover more on Experience CSO
Yunchan Lim, the youngest-ever winner of the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, is a man with a mission: “I will live my life only for the sake of music, and I have decided that I will give up everything for music."
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"Subito con forza" (2020) by South Korean composer Unsuk Chin has rapidly become her most performed work. It takes its name from the marking that Beethoven frequently used in his scores: "suddenly with power."
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Though composer Jörg Widmann used Beethoven's Seventh and Eighth symphonies as an impetus for his own "Con brio," he points out: "I don’t quote a single note [from Beethoven]. It’s more about the gesture."
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